Equator Man: Episode 13

Our favorite frenemies go head to head this episode – through legal channels at least, and not more blunt force trauma. (Not yet, anyway.) We get more than just a peek at the terror Jang-il copes with every day while Sun-woo stays the course, Soo-mi acts as a puppetmaster, and Ji-won finally confronts her past.

Equator Man took first in ratings again with 13.4%. Rooftop Prince followed behind at 11.5% and The King 2 Hearts brought up the rear at 10.5%.

EPISODE 13 RECAP

Jang-il sits alone in his car crying piteously as he thinks of Soo-mi’s wall of damning evidence against him. It’s a beautiful moment for him in showing us his vulnerability – that tough facade he had in front of Soo-mi was just that and nothing more. Now we see how he really feels, and the poor thing is frightened out of his mind.

He stumbles home drunk. His father is there to catch him, but Jang-il insists on giving him a formal bow with tears in his eyes. “Father…” he ekes out, “Should I marry Soo-mi, and spend the rest of my life in atonement?”

Here’s the thing: he means it. For the first time since the accident he looks so filled with remorse that it might break him, and it’s breaking my heart in the process. This is the sort of moment I was waiting to get from him, and he delivers in spades. All of a sudden this is a boy, not a man, who knows he did a great wrong. He clutches his father as though he would disappear if he let go.

It’s not business as usual the next day, since Jang-il is unable to shake the terror from the day before. And as usual with him, bad thing happen all at once – so when he shows up for work, his superior has Sun-woo’s case open in front of him. Joon-ho is in attendance too, which means he took the bait that No Name (hereon referred to as MIN-YUN for ‘minion’ as one of you awesomely suggested, unless he gets a real name) gave in the sauna.

They want to nab Chairman Jin no matter what, and Jang-il looks like he wants to crawl into a hole in the ground and hide. Even Joon-ho notices that something is off with Jang-il today.

Jang-il is met with a flash of cameras and press outside, who are there to greet our prosecutor like a conquering hero. Perhaps the guilt of doing a good deed is too much, because it sends him to the roof to think about how this carefully crafted world he’s made is beginning to crumble around him.

He places a hurried call to his father to tell him to make a call to Chairman Jin from a deserted phone booth so that Jang-il can meet him – but it all must be done under the utmost secrecy. He knows that the slightest attachment to Chairman Jin will mean the end of him, and now that he’s being investigated, it’s bad news all around.

Sun-woo watches Jang-il give a press conference over his recent good deeds, and even Min-yun notices that the public just loves him. “He probably thinks he’s some kind of hero,” Min-yun remarks, which is eerily similar to something that Jang-il had accused Sun-woo of when they were young – back when Sun-woo always tried to be the noble one.

Jang-il gets his meeting with Chairman Jin to inform him of his impending investigation, and that he’ll be on the prosecuting team. Chairman Jin’s response is simply for Jang-il to stop the investigation – but Jang-il, perhaps filled now with a true sense of justice – tells him that if he’s committed a crime, he should be sentenced for it.

“What is a crime?” Chairman Jin asks. “Was your father’s greed to raise his son the best he could a crime?”

Either way, Jang-il refuses to relent even though Chairman Jin says that he can either protect him or go down with the ship – there are no other options.

He leaves Jang-il with the advice that he should try to get Joon-ho to date his stepdaughter, Yoon-joo, since they’ll be going on a blind date.

Shower scene. Yong-bae calls to his son from outside the bathroom to ask if he’s all right, since he’s been in there for hours. Jang-il wipes the condensation from the mirror and stares at his reflection, frighteningly reminiscent of every other creepy time he’s done the same.

But to his father he says, “I’m fine.” He continues to say it, and soon he’s not saying it to his father, but to himself. He’s trying to convince himself that nothing is wrong and that all will be well.

Either something has really changed in Jang-il or he is a master of disguise as he has a friendly meeting with Sun-woo to deliver coffee and smiles. He apologizes for punching him at the party and claims it was due to a lack of sleep and drunkenness.

He seems much more at ease with his old friend now as he tells him that he’ll be taking on his father’s case along with his colleague, and that he’ll investigate thoroughly to get rid of all of Sun-woo’s suspicions.

Even Sun-woo seems a little caught off guard, but he can only reply that he’s looking forward to it. Jang-il takes note of the beautiful view from Sun-woo’s office and asks his frenemy what he thinks of when he looks down on Seoul like this every day. To make more money? To buy a building he sees?

But Sun-woo seems to surprise him when he humbly replies that he looks on the city and thinks, “I hope I will always be able to see this.”

Ji-won arrives just as Jang-il is leaving, and exchanges no words with Sun-woo before she heads to her own office. Both her and Sun-woo reach out to the wall separating them, which I guess is supposed to signify the ‘so close yet so far’ aspect of their relationship, though it comes off a little heavy-handed for my tastes. The camerawork doesn’t really help in that regard, either.

Sun-woo ends up following her and watching her from afar as she mingles with friends, and the moment she notices him he keeps walking. She stares after him, a pensive look on her face.

Meanwhile, Jang-il and his team are getting to work on Chairman Jin’s case. They know that they have to tread carefully and decide to target his affiliates that worked with both Sun-woo’s father and him, and to do so they’ll use the guise of novelists trying to chronicle the creation of Chairman Jin’s empire.

So Jang-il hasn’t really changed after all, as we find out that he plans to fool his own prosecuting team off Chairman Jin’s case. He warns the person they plan to meet ahead of time that his team will go disguised as novelists, and that he’ll have to have all information needed of him ready for them.

And that person seems to have been Chairman Jin, who is now in possession of two phones. Wow, so he’s going to use the man his team is investigating to fool them? I applaud your cojones, Jang-il.

Yoon-joo approaches Soo-mi with a grand idea. Since Jang-il is such a famous prosecutor and they knew each other in high school, why don’t they use that for publicity? Soo-mi isn’t keen on the idea, but Yoon-joo calls Jang-il to ask the favor anyway.

He’s adamant about his refusal until Yoon-joo tells him that if he doesn’t come to collect, Soo-mi’s painting will go to her. He’s worried that it’ll be one of the Evidence Paintings, and so he finally agrees.

She takes the news to Soo-mi, who suggests that they invite David Kim as well. If he does the publicity stunt, then she’ll sign on.

Jang-il arrives at the gallery first without the knowledge that Sun-woo was also invited. He spies one of the Evidence Paintings sticking out from under the curtain and meets Soo-mi’s cryptic gaze, the one she uses when she knows she holds power over him.

Sun-woo arrives with flowers and a question for Soo-mi – what did she do with that Braille page she took long ago, anyway? Her smile falters as she claims she took it for painting, but lies that she never ended up doing it. It’s a little funny to her that Sun-woo would know he was missing a page of what were supposedly basic letters.

Jang-il’s quick to respond that maybe that wasn’t what was on the page. Smart boy.

Yoon-joo interrupts to ask which painting Soo-mi had planned to give to Jang-il, to which she replies, “It’s behind the curtain.” Oh crap.

You see Jang-il’s eyes go wide as Yoon-joo approaches the curtain, and even Sun-woo seems pensive, as if he knows nothing good is behind it. Soo-mi only smiles. She opens the curtain…

…And it’s only a wall of some random paintings. The Evidence Paintings are gone. Soo-mi suddenly decides that she doesn’t want to do the publicity stunt because Sun-woo doesn’t want to be in the pictures, so there’s no fun in it anymore. Besides, she’s not even close to Jang-il.

This gets Yoon-joo’s temper up, and the two women argue before Yoon-joo storms off to give the reporters the bad news. Sun-woo leaves right after.

Left alone, Jang-il approaches Soo-mi angrily.

Jang-il: “If you were a man, I would have punched you.”Soo-mi: “Where? In the back of my head?”

Oooooh. Score yet another for Soo-mi. She tells him that he should thank her for not showing Sun-woo the artwork, though he challenges her to show it to him now. She replies, with a smirk, that she always saves the best for last.

Jang-il grabs her by the shoulders, hard. He moves his hand up to grip her chin in a very ungentle way, though they’re interrupted when Sun-woo suddenly comes back into the room.

Soo-mi asks Sun-woo if he’d like a painting as a gift. Jang-il’s eyes go wide as Soo-mi reaches toward the painting in the corner… except it’s not one of the Evidence Paintings. That doesn’t make it any less disturbing, of course.

Sun-woo takes one look at the bloody painting and tells her to give it to Jang-il, since it isn’t his style.

Once they’re alone, Jang-il asks Soo-mi if she’s having fun taunting him. Her reply is that she knows what he did, and she spells it out for him, “Attempted murder.”

The full weight of the charge settles in, and Jang-il sinks to his knees. The look on his face makes it seem as though his world is ending, and Soo-mi loses her smirk at the sight.

Sun-woo, Not Dad, and Min-yun go to pay their respects at the tree where his father was hung. Min-yun notes that the intimate knowledge of the forest could only mean that a local was involved in the murder.

Next, they visit the cliff where Jang-il hit him and threw him into the ocean. They even cross the bridge Jang-il crossed after he did the deed.

Soo-mi pays a visit to Chairman Jin’s wife, and becomes emotional over the tea they share together – it’s the first time she’s ever drank with anyone her mother’s age, because she never had one. She wants to give a gift in return for the warm welcome and paints Hee-jun’s portrait.

Yoon-joo is perfectly happy to ignore Soo-mi, even when the latter apologizes for their fight. Mother and daughter discuss whether they might invest in David Kim’s project behind Chairman Jin’s back.

Kwang-choon and Soo-mi later enjoy a mini spa day in the middle of her grand studio, though both are interrupted by a phone call from the police asking them to talk about Sun-woo’s father’s case. Kwang-choon is of a mind not to go since he’s not confident in his ability to lie, and Soo-mi looks displeased as well. (Didn’t she promise Jang-il that she’d spill everything if the case was reopened?)

Back in his hometown, Not Dad warns Not Son against continuing with the revenge, because nothing will bring his father back. Sun-woo nearly balks – does he wants him to forgive them?

It seems like Not Dad is operating out of concern, since he notes that whatever Sun-woo hits him with, Jang-il will hit back harder. It’s something that Sun-woo is counting on, and he plans to tire Jang-il out – which is why making the first move is so important.

Looking over the ocean, Sun-woo says, “I died on that day. The sea water was really cold.”

Ji-won is holding the fort at Sun-woo’s firm when Soo-mi saunters in, claiming that it’s been a long time since she saw Ji-won at the rehab center. Since Sun-woo is on a business trip she feels free to ask Ji-won if it hurt that Sun-woo couldn’t recognize her. Did she tell him that she was the girl he once liked?

The question is deflected under the excuse that she’s on the clock, though Ji-won does seem uncomfortable at Soo-mi’s very cavalier attitude. She leaves to give her guest coffee while Soo-mi finds some artistic inspiration (or claims to) in the office and scrounges around for a sheet of paper to draw.

As luck and her plans would have it, the search takes her to Sun-woo’s desk where she finds Ji-won’s framed picture in a drawer, along with a mysterious folder.

Sun-woo’s journey of self reflection takes him back to his old rooftop home where he drinks beer with Tae-joo and Min-yun. Once Tae-joo is alone he gets a phone call, and by the look on his face, it can’t be a welcome one.

We cut to Chairman Jin’s wife and stepdaughter as they conspire to invest in Sun-woo’s project without their husband/stepfather knowing, as we realize that Chairman Jin is the one who called. It’s Sun-woo’s phone but it’s Tae-joo who answers, and the two men act as though they don’t realize who is on the other end of the line and quickly hang up.

He tells Sun-woo about it as soon as he returns, so Sun-woo calls Chairman Jin back. He only wanted to relay that he would not be investing in Sun-woo’s project, and invites him for golf some time. And by the way, who was it that answered the phone earlier?

Sun-woo gives the same lie Tae-joo did – that it was just his staff. Chairman Jin frowns, foiled again.

It’s the night before the petition questioning, and Sun-woo wakes up from another nightmare. Min-yun is quick to come to the rescue in his patterned silk pajamas, and all is well.

On the day of the petition hearing, both Sun-woo and Jang-il meet across a table in a monitored room surrounded by cameras. They just have to wait a while for the orchestral music to stop before they can start the proceedings.

Jang-il’s team watches from behind a two way mirror, and seem surprised when Jang-il goes on the record that he was friends with Sun-woo in high school – though he claims that the name change threw him off. Also, Sun-woo was a much prettier boy back then. (Ha!)

Because of the conflict of interest it would present, Jang-il informs Sun-woo that his prior donations will go to a welfare for victims and their families. Sun-woo cuts in to ask if such a welfare exists for convicts, which is a pretty bold way to instantly accuse Jang-il without anyone else in the room realizing.

They begin to go over the specifics of the case, and we all know how those go by now.

Meanwhile, Ji-won picks up the same folder Soo-mi had the night before and finds her picture inside. Soo-mi must have placed it there deliberately for her to find, and now it brings home the realization that Sun-woo knew who she was all along and chose to ignore it.

Back with the petition hearing, we begin to see what angle Jang-il is playing, and it’s a good one. In lieu of being unable to stop Sun-woo from sending the petition, it looks like he’s taken on the case specifically to prove that it was a suicide in order to lay everything to rest.

When Sun-woo seems to catch on to what Jang-il is doing he cracks a smile, able to completely see through Jang-il’s helpful act. It’s an amazing meeting of the minds as Jang-il uses his knowledge of the law to make Sun-woo’s case sound incredulous, and even Sun-woo has to wonder if Jang-il is accusing him of fabricating evidence. Has he already decided that Chairman Jin is innocent, too?

Jang-il is the image of a perfect prosecutor, though the two men exchange incredibly veiled barbs. It seems like Jang-il has won the round today until Sun-woo gives his final remarks – that it’d be best to summon those who were working in Chairman Jin’s house the day his father died.

Ah, so he’s playing hardball now. He probably wasn’t going to bring Yong-bae into the mix, but Jang-il has opened a can of worms now and knows it. Sun-woo even smirks at him before he leaves – he’s won this round.

Ji-won is lost in thought when Sun-woo comes to fetch her for a meeting, and once in the car even Min-yun comments on how distant she looks. Concerned, Sun-woo has him pull the car over so that they can get some fresh air.

They pick a beautiful vista to look over, and Ji-won asks why Sun-woo doesn’t tell her where he goes. He explains that they’re personal matters that she doesn’t need to worry herself with and tries to rush them along, though Ji-won looks as though she’s about to faint.

Seeing her condition, Sun-woo decides to call the meeting off and tells her to go home and get some rest.

Once there she pulls out the Sun-woo Keepsake Box and reads over the letter he wrote asking her to wait for him. Now she wonders whether any of it was true.

He finds her working late the next night and tells her to go home, since she still looks fatigued. She asks if he knows of a good place for a massage because she needs it – specifically mentioning his profession when he was blind. He goes quiet, and leaves for his office.

But Ji-won finally works up the nerve to place her picture, the one he kept all these years, on the desk right in front of him. “You knew everything from the beginning, didn’t you?” she asks. “Tell me.”

“I did,” Sun-woo finally admits. “Ever since I saw you first.”

In disbelief, Ji-won wonders why he came back, and why he pretended not to remember. When he asks if she would even believe him she’s quick to fire back that she won’t listen to his excuses, but falters when he calls her “Hemingway,” like the old days.

He tries to tell her that she was the reason he came back (it wasn’t revenge for his father’s murder?), but she doesn’t want to hear it. She can’t understand what he was thinking to play such games, and is even more upset when he tells her he was just waiting for the right moment.

“What moment?” she asks, incredulous. “‘I remember you.’ Did you need the right moment for that?”

I have to say, I agree with her. But Sun-woo says that wasn’t the only thing he wanted to say. Ji-won has had enough and tries to leave, but Sun-woo wrist-grabs her and asks her to listen to him… only silence ensues, and he doesn’t say anything.

Taking his hand off her arm, she looks him straight in the eye. “You’re not the Kim Sun-woo that I know.”

COMMENTS

Jang-il stole the show for me today, and it’s a trend that I’ve been noticing since Sun-woo made his grand return. Rather than having the invulnerable chaebol second lead we’ve now got him as a first lead, and the wall he puts up when he’s around others is the same wall he puts between himself and us. Therefore, it’s hard to really emotionally connect with Sun-woo when he’s so emotionally disconnected from the world around him.

There’s no one who can’t feel for what Sun-woo is going through with the death of his father still looming over his head, but my heart just broke for Jang-il at the beginning of the episode when sorrow took over instead of his usual tactic of lashing out. It’s a glimpse of the Jang-il we used to know, the one that I worried we’d lost forever, and it was an amazing moment to get me back on board with his character. Sun-woo, comparatively, is still going through the same motions he was thirteen years ago – as opposed to Jang-il, who may have the same objective but has to continuously change his tactics to achieve the desired result. At least he’s using semi-legal tactics now as opposed to tree branches.

We did see a glimpse of vulnerability from Sun-woo during his exchange with Ji-won – the only caveat being that I’m not all that invested in their future together, so his tears and her tears didn’t hold as much water. Whereas Jang-il’s tears came from genuine terror and remorse for all the things he’s done, so even if he never atones, the fact that it tortures him so much is gratifying. He’s not an emotionless robot, he’s a human with no one to lean on due to the nature of what he’s done. And the one person he could lean on, Soo-mi, is not an option for him.

I wonder why Soo-mi made it so that Ji-won and Sun-woo confronted each other. She has nothing to gain from their reunion, so despite the many evil smirks she displayed this episode I’d like to think that she did it out of the kindness of her heart, to finally put an end to the noble idiocy since neither Sun-woo or Ji-won seemed like they would any time soon. But with Soo-mi, one can never tell.

May 5, 2012 at 8:23 PM

May 5, 2012 at 8:36 PM

UNREGISTERED

Jangil makes me want to vomit! Do I care he's crying like a little bia? Absolutely not! Too little too late. There's no sympathy here. He's not a little boy (and even when he was he purposely made a decision. What he did wasn't an accident. He chose to end a life for his own gain. Bottom line.), he's a man who purposely lied and deceived pretended.
Marry SM? Sure and you'll both rot like the evil, sorry excuses for human beings you are. My patience with these characters is non-existent! They make choices that damn them. Choices that and were within their control, practically from day one and I'm supposed to just suck it up and be grateful you finally grew a big boy heart? Nope!
And as for SM there's never a moment I'm not repulsed by her. Not one second.

May 6, 2012 at 11:00 AM

UNREGISTERED

@ahha I also was taken aback by notoriousnoona's straight-forward and blunt feelings. But then again, noona's famous for that. I remember I wrote something along the lines of feeling pity for jang-il b/c bad things happened all at once in ep 12. And i got a pretty strong reply from noona. I was surprised as well. (i mean no offense. It's just ive never had such a strong reply as noona's to any other comments ive ever written) i appreciate her feelings but it's a little scary. Dont hate me noona!

May 6, 2012 at 5:00 PM

UNREGISTERED

Lol. Why would I hate you? I'mseriously too old for that. I'm just blunt and straightforward as a person. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, I just disagree. I find these characters repugnant and it astonishes me how easily evil and lets not forget CRIMINAL deeds are skirted over cause someone cried or drew painting or makes an offhanded comment, when their continuous disregard for human decency is apparent in almost each and every action they make.
Then if that's not the case let's just label them crazy or losing touch with reality and everything they've done(or do) is excusable? These are arguments I can't understand.

Oh and if I'm not moved by a few tears, a sob story and supposed mental anguish I'm as bad as a murderer and an extortionist? Riiight. That makes complete sense.

May 6, 2012 at 5:23 PM

UNREGISTERED

i think noona has her own choice to feel whatever she feels..i find it hard too to read her comments but i appreciate her right to make comments..
just that the sentence of laughing at ppl crying is kind of heartless ..

May 6, 2012 at 6:44 PM

UNREGISTERED

There's no need to renege on your statement. You meant it right? Stick with it. I'm not offended. Confused but not concerned, you know?
And though I didn't laugh at the scene, I can see how someone would. For laughter comes at the most inopportune moments. I dont know anyone who hasnt laughed in or at an inappropriate time. Perhaps you are the exception?
However, in regards to the scene, did you think about how one could interpret JI's behavior? It runs the gamut from comical to audacious.
I also don't find it heartless and I'd love to take offense with that statement but that might be a little hypocritical on my point. I do have a question though... Are you moved by every tear a person sheds? Do you believe everything a person does and says? If so, I suppose you wouldn't understand but I see the scene as up for interpretation, based on your impression of JI's character, feelings and motivation up to this point.

May 6, 2012 at 6:56 PM

May 6, 2012 at 8:43 PM

UNREGISTERED

hmmm i just want to add that I share noona's feelings regarding this matter... I don't feel any pity no matter how one cries for as long as that person DOES NOT regret and seek forgiveness for the wrong that he has done.... the fact that Jang Il continues to hide the fact that his father was the perpetrator or that he betrayed his friend only shows that there is no FULL remorse on his part....

May 5, 2012 at 8:42 PM

I'm now fully invested in this show. However, I wish the PD would give-a-rest to all the slow-Mo STARE scenes.

If someone stared that long in real life, most people would be saying, "Are you alright? You kinda spaced out there for a moment."

Ji-Won needs a Vitamin-B shot or something. Maybe the actress is really tired...I dunno. Her lackluster/semi-zombie-state is starting to be irksome. I want to cheer for the Lead couple...as it is, I'm thinking Sun-woo should have Min-Yun set up a FaceBook page for him -- maybe meet a new girl or two...hahaha. cheers ~

May 6, 2012 at 5:05 AM

UNREGISTERED

Great idea! Sun Woo can do better! Ji Won needs an anti-depressant. She needs to show real spunk - not fabricated anger. Can't we see some humor, some sarcasm, a little interest in the world around her. Even as a business woman, she works hard but seems bored.

May 6, 2012 at 10:04 AM

May 5, 2012 at 8:46 PM

UNREGISTERED

Wow! Thank you for the recap. I'm glad we've finally gotten a makeshift name for "minion". I haven't been watching this since I'm stuck with RTP's cuteness for awhile. Thus, I've been relying on the recaps.

I agree. I feel that Jang-Il has really shown many facets of his character. Lee Jun-hyuk has done a great job at that. I also really liked him in "City Hunter".

I also think that if Sun-woo had confronted Ji-won earlier, he could use her as a spy to get closer to Jang-il to find more info about chairman Jin and dig up some more dirt on the baddies. You know, like how they use beauties as spies in the old days? To do so, we'll just have to first get rid of Sun-woo's conscience. Why couldn't Jang-il just ask for his friend's forgiveness in the first place and then NOT bash his head with a tree branch but talk it out instead over some ice cream sundaes. Yum. I think I'm gonna go grab myself some ice cream drumsticks now.

May 5, 2012 at 9:06 PM

UNREGISTERED

Oh wow, Jang-il broke my heart today. I mean, yes he's done wrong, but part of me still feels for him (and some sadistic part of me is gleeful when he wall starts to crumble). I missed the little boy in him, and honestly, I hope he doesn't die in this drama, and Sun-woo forgives him (unlikely, since I'm betting my money that he DOES die, though I don't know for sure, and Sun-woo forgiving Jang-il? That'll take some serious convincing.) But I swear Lee Jun-hyuk is an excellent actor. Making me cry like that.

May 5, 2012 at 9:14 PM

UNREGISTERED

Jang-Il's tears killed me and I couldn't help but tear up too. *sniffles* That first scene was really good...the best for this episode and I agree....I'm more invested in Jang-Il at this point. lol...I almost started hoping for him to be forgiven.

Well, now that Ji Won knows...I hope there'll be something more from her now. Give hm the damn letter already!

May 5, 2012 at 9:48 PM

UNREGISTERED

Sorry to say, Jang-il's tears didn't do much for me. The guy is too much of a sociopath, chronic liar, and all around creep that I just don't feel much for him at all. Soo-mi spelled it out for him - ATTEMPTED MURDER. He tried to MURDER Sun-woo, his supposed "best friend" and I believe it wasn't entirely out of filial piety. Nope, it was to protect his arse and future career. By the grace of the drama gods, Sun-woo lived so he could get his revenge. And I'm with him all the way. I don't want to see any sort of "redemption" for Jang-il. He's too far down the rabbit hole for that for me. He needs that karmic comeuppance. And hard.

And omg, did I hate that fake-out Soo-mi pulled with the paintings. But, episode 12 is even more arrrrrgggggggggh. This show has got my blood pressure rising. My comments will have to wait, though.

May 6, 2012 at 9:20 AM

May 5, 2012 at 10:52 PM

UNREGISTERED

=On the day of the petition hearing, both Sun-woo and Jang-il meet across a table in a monitored room surrounded by cameras. They just have to wait a while for the orchestral music to stop before they can start the proceedings.=

You'd think I'da learned by now not to drink while reading the recaps from here...

May 5, 2012 at 11:06 PM

UNREGISTERED

LOL, i have the same feeling..
that fucking orchestra dramatic music annoyed me to no end.. The pace of this drama is too slow for my taste. They are too concerned about dramatic stuff for the sake of dramatic effect for too long.

But I still dig the character...

It's interesting that Jang il who have little redeeming quality makes me cry in this episode...
It must be I love Jun Hyuk too much..

May 6, 2012 at 12:13 AM

UNREGISTERED

lol. THat was a great line. I forgot to give Heads a thumbs up for that one.

Seriously...I really wish they'd cut or change the damn music. Even if its toned down, I still hate it. I don't think this drama needed the extension of 4 episodes because the pace is already slow. Does this mean more stares while the orchestra plays?

May 6, 2012 at 6:46 AM

UNREGISTERED

The use of orchestra music was predominantly used in Alfred Hitchcock movies and dramas. This drama is so reminiscent of that time and being an oldie myself, I LOVE the music! At those times when the cymbals or drums reached their highest, chills run down my spine and that's what is supposed to happen. LOVE THE MUSIC CHOICE!!

May 5, 2012 at 11:34 PM

UNREGISTERED

@chylo I LOL'ed so hard when I read that. I fon't mind slow-mo shots. It adds a nice suspense ti the seen but that one I agree was a little too long.

And what a way to open the episode! When i heard crying I was like , "where's that coming from." enter jang-il bawling his eyes out. I took me a whole minute to sink in what I was seeing. The scene was absolutely beautiful that had me gawking at him the entire time. Lee joon hyuk played that scene really well. Buy the one where he went on his knees in front of Soo mi. That kinda felt acted out(as in jang il acting to get synpathy fron soomi and by the look on her face, he was successful)

Am i the only one who feels that sun woo/ the uhmforce has a really hard time smiling. They are so awkard looking, like he's just smiling out of obligation. Which he probably is alot of the times, but it makes me giggle when he's trying to smile/laugh. Like he doesn't know how.

I appreciate the fact soomi has made a name for herself despite the odds and everything but god damnit she doesnt have to be a bitch about it. The way she decides to do the interview and then changes her mind. I agreed whole heartedly with yoon joo when she told soomi to stop acting like a child. There's only so much abnoxiousness (is that even a word?) a person can take.

And Uhmforce!!!! How adorable you look with thise huge spectacles. I Thought even ji won was a little taken aback seeing him like that with those glasses on.

May 6, 2012 at 5:14 AM

UNREGISTERED

I feel sorry for Uhm Tae Woong. He is stuck with the most cliched scenes. When he stands at the cliff with Not Dad, the moment seemed so phony and forced. UTW's manager needs to have a good long talk with the director!

May 6, 2012 at 12:09 AM

UNREGISTERED

Where do you find Jang-il's remorse ?
Actually what appals me most is his total lack of conscience.
Not for a minute did he seem apologetic to Sun-woo for attempting to murder him or making him blind.
His tears?
Just because he was terrified that his career and reputation would be ruined, not because he did something terribly wrong to his best friend.

I despise those who choose to become successful at the expense of others' interest, not to mention others' life.

May 6, 2012 at 9:47 AM

UNREGISTERED

I know Aqua, huh? Jang Il is the worst kind of friend imaginable. Charming, charismatic and affectionate, and then BAM!, your worst nightmare. My husband has a little code-phrase to describe that kind of 'friend' - "God help you if you cross him." I haven't any empathy for him, but I will grant him some sympathy for being a lost and suffering soul.

May 6, 2012 at 1:56 AM

UNREGISTERED

I so want to care about our OTP. Why don't I care more about them? Why don't the writers give them both more to do. At first it was just broing Ji Won, but now it seems that Sun Woo is ina rather static state as well. In this episode, his character seems to be holding a review session for the viewers. "In case you forgot, this is everythin that happened in the mystery plot in episodes 2-5" Soomi's part in exposing the truth between these two really makes no sense to her personality, so she just seems like a plot contrivance here. And where is GEUM-JOOL?!?!? I miss him. Why do we need Minyun stepping in to take over the bromance role? Are we supposed to think that Sun woo is keeping JiWon and Geum-jool out of this to protect them? Then he needs to say so. Otherwise, it seems to me that he is ignoring to excellent allies. And in this war against the chairman, he needs all the help he can get. The only thing that I liked about the angle th writers are giving him here is that Chairman Jin's wife and daughter are thinking of investing in Sun woo behind thei husband/stepfather's back.

However, I agree with HeadsNo2, here. It is almost like the writers are trying to make us feel more for Jangil or at least be more interested in him because they are making his part of the story more interesting and his character's emotions more apparent than Sun woo's. Or so they believe that they do not have to keep up our interest because we would automatically side with the hero/victim here? I felt this way up until a couple of episodes ago, but now I need more action for the Sunwoo. And poor Ji won hasn't been interesting since she was reading the stories into the recording, which means she hasn't been interesting for thirteen years!!!!

May 6, 2012 at 4:28 AM

May 6, 2012 at 8:50 PM

UNREGISTERED

I honestly believe that Ji Won is the worst female lead character I have met in all the dramas I have watched... there is no substance in her character...she's the most boring, poorly written and unforgettable female lead I have met... sighhhh

May 6, 2012 at 1:59 AM

UNREGISTERED

I agree with some of the posters above. I honestly don't really see Jang-il's remorse/guilt/regret either. What I saw in his exceptionally well-acted crying scene, was a pitiful pathetic boy who is terrified for HIS own future... not exactly sorry for what he did. He is sorry, in a sense, that his past is coming back to ruin him. But he's not sorry at all for what he did to Sun-woo, and that makes me sick to my stomach. I felt sorry for him... but only because he was so pathetic.

May 6, 2012 at 6:50 AM

UNREGISTERED

Not sure about that. I think when people think their world is crashing around them, the the most hardcore will cry like babies. Those tears, true tears are others, not for yourself. Fear is a great motivator and that was what those tears were about. Nothing more, nothing else.

May 6, 2012 at 9:47 AM

UNREGISTERED

I have. Sometimes, a selfish streak comes out in all of us. Take a illness for an example. So yeah, it does happen and as I have never heard him mention Sun Woo in an apologetic way, the tears are all self serving. Think about the scene where Jang Il is telling his father about Sun Woo's petition. Have you heard two guilty people railing against the victim as much as those two did in that scene. It was priceless and telling!

May 6, 2012 at 2:29 PM

UNREGISTERED

I personally think people WOULD definitely cry like this if they attempted murder on someone, and they were about to get exposed... Cause that would mean that his future as the "awesome and just" prosecutor would be ruined. At his core, he doesn't want to help people as a prosecutor... he just wants the reputation and finds his worth in being the best prosecutor since that's all he has known and has, aside from his dad. Even though he is selfish and evil, he is a huge baby who is unstable, paranoid, desperate, and fearful. To me, that is what is represented in his crying. Just because you're scared sh*tless... doesn't mean you feel bad about trying to kill someone. One doesn't equal the other.

May 6, 2012 at 6:15 PM

UNREGISTERED

jangil cried right after seeing his disgraceful past so vividly displayed by soomi's paintings...i am more convinced he cried instantly over some kind of emotional feelings about this...rather than having thinking too much...

May 6, 2012 at 5:22 AM

UNREGISTERED

I think that Jang Il really loves his dad (though Dad is really icky). Dad would do anything for Jang Il! (and I mean anything!). He is not just afraid for his own future but for his father. I also think that he has great regret for the tragic and terrible choices that he and Dad made (based on his poignant memories of boyhood times with Sun Woo and his words to his dad when he bows to him).

May 6, 2012 at 6:53 AM

UNREGISTERED

I will believe he has regret when he actually says the words "I am sorry, Sun-Woo". I don't remember him ever saying that. If he did, let know, it would be something I overlooked. No Soo-Mi has but still continues to do what she does!

May 6, 2012 at 6:20 PM

UNREGISTERED

I agree. Never felt sorry for him but it's true those tears had nothing to do with remorse. Think about what he later says to YB about marrying SM like he's a sacrificial victim. Everything is about him.
But I will say he got it honest because he was never taught to care for anything else but his own ambition. YB is one of the worst father figures I have ever seen. How is it that you kill a boy's father and everything subsequent is that boy's fault? Sunwoo made JI try to kill him. How dare Sunwoo contact "a friend" for help or to catch up? Then he has the nerve to get his sight back and make a decent living. And then this ep, Sunwoo is harassing JI. These are all the silly things YB says, thinks and teaches. It's outrageous.
What a skewed view of reality the majority of these characters have.

May 6, 2012 at 2:08 AM

UNREGISTERED

The drama's self-importance is rather a turn-off. It so earnestly aims to be something grand, arty, philosophical, but just comes across as pretentiousness. It reminds me of Chairman Jin's wife's high-society ambitions.

That said, some of the actors are delivering knock-out performances. Lee Jun Hyuk obviously. Im Jung Eun as Soo Mi. @ Nida - Uhmforce definitely can put on a fantastic, adorably urchin smile (see Rebirth). I think it's probably his taken on this particular character.

May 6, 2012 at 3:33 AM

I've been a reluctant viewer at first. The only character that keeps me interested (and wondering...) is Sun Woo. I don't care if Jang Il rots in hell because frankly, that's all he deserves.

I don't buy his spiel and I will never trust his moves, motives or intentions nor his creep and cheap shot of a 'father' to buy his son's education with murdering someone deliberately.

I thought the wall scene was representative of 'one wall being replaced by another', i.e., previously the 'wall' was Sun Woo's inability to see and now it's his inability to admit his real feelings and reasons why he tried to get to Ji Won back into his life, a more 'stop and go' endeavour than he would like it to be.

Sun Woo is still the most compelling of characters to watch and I really think if it weren't for Sun Woo, I wouldn't even watch this. The 14th episode (which I've already watched) gets Ji Won more involved again (thank God), and but disappoints in both Sun Mi's and her father's non-ethical continuation of not genuinely helping Sun Woo but rather continuing to cover up for Jang Il's and his father's crimes.

May 6, 2012 at 3:37 AM

UNREGISTERED

Lee Jun hyuk can really cry beautifully, i still remember how he cried silently yet heart-brokenly at the hospital scene in City Hunter when his father was badly hurt.. and that was my favourite scene in City Hunter...
here is totally an emotional breakdown crying, my heart felt sink when watching it..as well as the scene he cried over his father's shoulder..
i love most of the music of this drama...but i do agree that the "face to face" game has done it's job and should better stop playing anymore... we need another game to play with the rest of the drama...still the drama is good and can't wait for the 6 eps left...!!

May 6, 2012 at 5:28 AM

UNREGISTERED

The writers could devote some time to back stories. We could see what terrible deed the Chairman did to bring down Ji Won's dad. Or we could see a little more about how Not Dad made it from an ex-con to a millionaire.

May 6, 2012 at 7:42 AM

May 6, 2012 at 5:03 AM

UNREGISTERED

I am so going to disagree on the 0TP and why they drew me in.Sun-Woo left Ji-Won 13 years because he had too but has been protecting her all this time.That's love and how do you think he feels that she has become the person she despises because she waits for him and life is hard for her and her family so she has to put her pride first. Now what made Sun-Woo wake up is the fact. Jang II was trying to kindle something that was not his.Still envious of the love they shared.The final straw was Ji-won sick mother and the bills were mounting.Sun-Woo leaving Ji-won broke her but not being able to save her mother who did everything for her.It would have destroyed her and you know who would have stepped up if he had not? Jang II and that would have been the end. Because without Ji-won he is nothing and letting the man who was supposed to be his friend have the only thing besides his father revenge keeping him going was not an option. I love when OTP talk with just their eyes and especially these 2.Ji-Won is not upset. That he lied it's that he hide it from her instead of telling her because we all know she is now involved.She loves him wholeheartedly. His revenge clouded his mind before he realized he has only one thing left to live for and see.Finally he saw he can have both because in the end making her suffer anymore was destroying him. Thank god the revenge and love is up. Soo-Mi to me is so dumb.She wanted to push Sun-Woo and Ji-Won together because she wanted Jang Ii to herself and because she is envious of. Ji-Won and what she represents.I think she helped bring about her demise though.Both OTP hate chairman Jin and now that they know all of them had a hand in his father death and his blindness it's on!Sigh I feel O so bad JK because now that his lovelife is fixed his goal will be to destroy them.Yay the real revenge begins and I hope Ji1on plays a part in bringing down the man who helped destroy her family. Sigh is it wednesday yet I am dying to see Jang II in anguish be once again he has to suffer for the past.Good you reap what you sow and I hope it crumbles around him.

May 6, 2012 at 6:39 AM

UNREGISTERED

"I wonder why Soo-mi made it so that Ji-won and Sun-woo confronted each other" Oh but she does! It ensures that there will be no way that a relationship between Jang Il and Ji-won will develop. Not going to happen, sister. Soo-Mi (and I thank her) catapulted the secret to the forefront and I am grateful for her doing it; even though it was for selfish reasons. I have to agree with HeadsNo2 assessment that this was the Jang Il show! The rare emotions that he projected were phenomenal. Now, unlike HeadsNo2, I still have no sympathy for Jang Il but I was glad to see that he at least was human because I was starting to question his humanity there. Lee Joon Hyuk and his acting has been incredible!! I saw glimpses in other dramas but his acting chops were shown in spades in this drama. At times, he overshadows UhmForce tremendously and that is a good thing. Here's hoping his next drama after he returns from military service (rumored to start this year) will be a leading role that he so much deserves!!

May 6, 2012 at 7:36 AM

UNREGISTERED

Yes. I heard Equator Man is Jun Hyuk's last drama before he is going to military service. I feel so heart broken when I hear about this... I start love him so much until watching his performances in city hunter... Now, I have to let him go to MS. I Will miss him greatly... :(.. That's a reason I follow equator man continuously.. haha..

Hope He will get so many promising project when he has finished his duty. And it will be great if it's leadng role for sure..

May 6, 2012 at 7:27 AM

UNREGISTERED

ok sorry for the SPOILER but am i the only one that concluded that the only reason Soo Mi exposed the pic and eventually the 2 lovebirds reunited was for the letter to finally be read by SW? that was just so lame! and can i still insist how i wouldnt even budge if some evil person ended up killing JW or something crazy like that? i have invested zero emotions for her character...shame!

May 6, 2012 at 8:21 AM

May 6, 2012 at 10:09 AM

UNREGISTERED

I'll put down a bet.
Soo Mi is on Sun Woo's side at the core, but will use her knowledge of the incident to manipulate Jang Il into loving/depending on her. Then she will reject him when he turns to her. That's her revenge. She won't let Sun Woo down if push comes to shove, though.
Ok, that's my bet. I give it ~75% chance. If I lose, I buy everyone a drink.

May 6, 2012 at 7:42 PM

May 7, 2012 at 5:22 AM

UNREGISTERED

You might end up buying everyone a drink. Not sure she is on Team Sun Woo at the core. If the wind blows in her favor, meaning Jang Il turns to her, she will abandon Sun Woo so fast, it'll make all of our heads spin! I think Sun Woo had it right, Kwang Choon (Soo Mi's Dad) will be on his side, eventually. Glad he has doubts about Soo Mi. Hell, I have doubts about Soo Mi who has known everything from the beginning!

May 7, 2012 at 5:17 AM

UNREGISTERED

No one can figure out Soo Mi's motives. One minute we think we understand her and them she flips the switch and does this. Who would have predicted that she would do what she did? I was totally surprised and all of my pride for her went out the window. What's she is trying to do now, only the writers know at this point. I am clueless!

May 6, 2012 at 11:12 AM

UNREGISTERED

Isnt it when you ask the gods for help. For jang-il it might be along the lines of "what do i do now?" or "what have i done with my life" y'know trying to clear his mind. With sun woo i think it's just him thinking while "the fruits of his labour" are being played in his mind. Kinda like "lets see how this goes. All bets are in, now just need to have the highest hand"

May 6, 2012 at 6:38 PM

May 6, 2012 at 7:16 PM

UNREGISTERED

I still don't understand the significance of being an equator man. Even when Sun woo explained why he wanted to go to the equator I was like, "...okay...?" o.O

Since the equator line goes across the middle of the world. I sometimes associate it with a person who is neither good or evil, somewhere in the middle...but I don't know if Sun woo can be seen in that light...I guess if you say that after he pays back Jang-il, Jin and JI's dad and then just want to live his life, minding his own business in his own little world, neither hated or loved.

After you notice this once...you'll see it again & again.
I think it's both odd ...AND adorable. Like when a puppy has it's tongue askew and looks like, "What? ..am I doing something funny? Why are you laughing at me?" ♥

May 7, 2012 at 3:53 AM

UNREGISTERED

I never thought Lee Jun Hyuk was yum in any of his previous dramas, but now I do think he is.

Ah my sentiments toward Jang Il, I feel so invested in the character. Those tears of fear and guilt really got me. It's ineluctable he'd get what he deserves in the end huh? Yet look into his sad desperate eyes, it feels like he's been dying a slow death.